San Clemente course brings home emergency response

If a big earthquake struck in two minutes, how ready would you be to take care of yourself and your family over the next few days or weeks?

Do you have a plan? Emergency supplies? Know how to turn off the gas?

The city of San Clemente offers a free course to help people prepare in case an emergency strikes their home or business. On Saturday, 25 people graduated and got to test new skills as an imaginary earthquake struck the city's Community Development building.

THE SCENARIO

The Community Emergency Response Team class was meeting in an upstairs conference room. Below, 23 students from San Clemente High School's college-prep Advancement Via Individual Determination program were gathered for Youth Volunteer Day. In reality, the students were with makeup artists, turning ghoulish with injuries for a drill about to unfold, as outlined by emergency-planning staff:

"At 9:56 a.m. the second floor begins to move violently. Loud creaking sounds are heard. Power flickers on and off. The shaking continues for 20 or more seconds. The overhead projector smashes to the floor and ceiling tiles fall. Tables move independently across the room. The shaking stops. CERT members emerge from under tables – where they practiced 'drop, cover and hold' – and ask each other if everyone is OK. They evacuate, using the stairs (not the elevator), and meet out front."

But all was not well. The high school students on the first floor didn't fare as well.

"It's always controlled chaos, just like a real event is," said emergency-planning assistant Katie Carpenter. "Part of the whole drill simulation is that you can learn how to handle those events when things don't go as you expect."

Psychology comes into play. "I was escorted out and put in 'not severe condition,'" said Ryan Waltman, a San Clemente High School junior. "Then I decided I was dying. They moved me to severe condition. They took care of me."

Around the building, CERT trainees practiced entering with a buddy as backup to put out small fires.

GRADUATION DAY

Sixteen of the 25 CERT graduates Saturday applied to be disaster volunteers.

"Those who don't join the CERT team will use it in their families, in their neighborhood or their business," said Jen Tucker, the city's emergency planner. Either way is fine, she said.

San Clemente's CERT has grown to 42 volunteers in 2½ years and is set to expand. New applicants, accepted after a background check, take an oath.

WHY DO IT

"I don't have kids at home, so I have free hands. In the event of an emergency, I should be out there helping other people." - Sue Cody, 12-year resident

"My wife is on the team now. I retired and she said, 'You're going to go join.'" - Ernie Myers, 18-year resident

"I have three small children. I'm just feeling more prepared to deal with a major earthquake or a major disaster. I could assist our neighbors." - Monica Perez, four-year resident

"I'm new to the community. As a military police officer, I just wanted to kind of help out as a first responder." - Shawn Butler, Air Force reservist

THE VALUE OF IT

"Even with my military training, I've actually learned a great deal from the class, especially on the medical side," Butler said.

"I went through this myself," said Don Fisher, a 22-year resident who leads the CERT. "Living in San Clemente for as long as I have, I am really aware of my surroundings and the unique blessings we have living here. I just thought it was a great opportunity to give back."

Volunteers meet monthly and get advanced training and a chance to grow.

"I have a great time," Fisher said. "There's a certain camaraderie. We worked the Ocean Festival last year. It was great to be out with people on the beach, have them come up and ask what we were. It makes you feel part of a bigger universe."